Gaming is now fully entrenched as mainstream entertainment, be it on console, PC or smartphone, but new pasttimes (and industries) have grown out this immensely popular hobby. Perhaps the most high-profile (and certainly most talked about) recent offshoots of gaming has been the explosive boom in livestreaming and broadcasting, both for your own amusement and in front of an audience that could number in the thousands.
That being said, getting into streaming or more broad content creation can be a daunting prospect. Hardware and software is relatively nailed down - a mid-spec PC with OBS or NVIDIA Shadowplay is a great starting point - but what about all those ancillary bits and bobs that don't immediately come to mind if you're not already invested?
That's a set of questions that new brand Streamplify are aiming to answer through a range of peripherals and accessories for Twitch broadcasting, YouTube Video, Podcasting and other forms of content creation. And, rather than fixating on the needs of established creators, they're aligning towards newcomers those with a budget-oriented mindset.
"Many established streamers have told us that, when they first started, they wished there had been a brand providing reliable, budget-friendly equipment to help them get off the ground. That’s the gap we are trying to fill now with our product line,"
– Nils Klakow, Business Development Manager at Streamplify.
– Nils Klakow, Business Development Manager at Streamplify.
Streamplify are starting out with a very strong focus on the core elements that add outsized value to audio/video content.
Streamplify CAM
First port of call is the camera. Streamplify's CAM is a Full HD (1080p) 60fps model mountable to your monitor that features built-in smart autofocus and stereo audio. Users with an alternative location to place the CAM can instead use the included mini-tripod for stable heigh-adjustable positioning.
The CAM is available for £59.99 inc. V.A.T.
Streamplify MIC ARM & MIC TRIPOD
The importance of good audio quality cannot be understated, particularly but not only in YouTube video and Podcast media. You might be able to get away with headset audio when livestreaming, but that's increasingly a detriment which is very easy to fix.
Streamplify are offering two microphone solutions to ensure high quality audio with vibration isolation. The £59.99 MIC TRIPOD features an RGB Microphone with tripod stand, while the £69.99 MIC ARM switches out that tripod for an articulated arm that offers more positioning flexibility if you have a stable surface to mount it to. Both offer shock mounts for the microphone, 3.5mm audio output, and a dedicated mic mute button.
You have no idea how useful that last feature is.
Streamplify LIGHT 10 & LIGHT 14
Good lighting can make a huge difference to any broadcast, much more so than you might think. The better the lighting the clearer and sharper webcam video streams will be, helping you look your best and aiding software processing of chroma-keyed green screens. If your face is ever on-screen, or you're showcasing products or other items through stills or video, additional lighting will be a valuable inclusion.
The Streamplify LIGHT 10 and LIGHT 14 are individually mounted 10-inch and 14-inch light rings that provide even coverage for video content and photography. You can adjust them between different colour temperatures and ten brightness levels, and they include a central mounting position for smartphones and cameras. The LIGHT 10's power is supplied over a basic USB connector, whereas the LIGHT 14 is powered by a dedicated plug-in adaptor.
The LIGHT 14 is a very robust light source that can also work to offer supplementary lighting for wider spaces, particularly living rooms and kitchens, and includes a more heavy-duty stand, carry case and power supply.
Streamplify LIGHT 10 and LIGHT 14 are priced at £10.99 and £64.99
Streamplify SCREEN LIFT
Not everyone has the perfect backdrop for video content, far from it in fact. The final component to an exceptional starting setup therefore is a green screen, with which you can create your own backdrop through broadcasting software that's tailor-made for your style and aesthetics.
Streamplify's SCREEN LIFT is a 1.5m by 2m collapsible green screen that integrates a hydraulic lift mechanism which makes setup quick and the unit as a whole more portable. The surface material is durable and both water and dirt repellent, helping to maintain a consistent backdrop that will stand you in good stead for the formative times of your content creation career.
The Streamplify SCREEN LIFT is priced at £129.95, and hence is much more of a considered purchase than some of their other accessories.
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So that's Streamplify's launch product range, but there's still more to be said. They've partnered with retailers to assemble a set of bundles tailored to different types of content creator and levels of initial investment.
The £129.95 Starter Bundle is ideal for those very much at the start of their livestreaming hobby. It includes CAM, MIC TRIPOD and LIGHT 10.
The £199.99 Pro Bundle is oriented towards more discerning hobbyists. It includes CAM, MIC ARM, LIGHT 10 and LIGHT 14 which should go a long way towards better audio, video and potentially even multi-camera setups for static PC-based livestreams and YouTube content.
The Complete Bundle adds the Streamplify SCREEN LIFT to the Pro Bundle for an awesome well-rounded livestreaming. It's priced at £329.95 inc. V.A.T.
Each of the bundles (and their individual components) will be available from Overclockers UK and elsewhere in European markets. For more information visit Streamplify.com and check out their accompanying video content for ideas on how to make each component work for you.
